Dhiren remanded in police custodyShimla, May 31While the motive behind the murder of Ms Padmesh, a cousin of Capt Amarinder Singh, Punjab Chief Minister, is yet to be ascertained, information gathered by the police revealed that Dhiren Walia, the alleged killer, had been extorting money from her at pistol-point.

Copter landing: BJP demands probeChamba, May 31The Himachal unit of the BJP has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against the Congress, demanding a probe into the landing of a helicopter at Bharmour on May 24 to drop a Congress leader.

Fires in forests add to woesMandi, May 31Fires broke out in pine forests in the district and around Mandi town adding to the summer heat.Chabuan and Dhuan Devi forests near here are in flames for the past two days and the Forest Department has not been able to contain the fire despite adequate budget.

Preserve folklore, says GovernorChamba, May 31Himachal Governor, Vishnu Sadashiv Kokje has underscored the need of preservation of folklore, passed to us from ancestors because expansion and preservation of knowledge continues from generation to generation.

NHRC notice
to SPSolan, May 31Taking serious notice of the violent incident in which a liquor vend was demolished on April 23 and subsequent registration of a case under various sections of the IPC against villagers of
Bangora, including women, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Superintendent of Police, Solan.

Dowry
case: two arrestedNurpur, May 31The police today arrested Ashok Kumar and Harbans Lal of Kuliana village in connection with the suicide of Pinky (20), wife of Ashok. A case under Sections 306 and 498-A of the IPC has been registered against her in-laws. Pinky committed suicide on Friday by hanging herself from a tree.

Shimla to get more waterShimla, May 31The water supply to Shimla will improve marginally from tomorrow following an agreement reached with residents of Snola village for release of water from the Gumma
khud.

Polling station at 15,500 ftShimla, May 31Mr Subashish Panda, District Election Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner, Lahaul-Spiti, said the polling station at Hikkim village at an altitude of 15,500 feet in Spiti division of Lahaul and Spiti district would be highest polling station in the district.

Shimla, May 31
While the motive behind the murder of Ms Padmesh, a cousin of Capt Amarinder Singh, Punjab Chief Minister, is yet to be ascertained, information gathered by the police revealed that Dhiren Walia, the alleged killer, had been extorting money from her at pistol-point.

Those close to the deceased maintained that Dhiren often used to threaten her in an inebriated state and demanded money. She had been giving in to his threats and he had been getting money from her. A clear picture will emerge after the police records the statements of the family members after the cremation.

Meanwhile, Dhiren was remanded in police custody up to June 5 by the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate here today. Dhiren reportedly told the police that it was an accidental fire which killed Padmesh and he had no intention of killing her. However, the two witnesses to the incident, Mr Jaidev and Nisha, maintained that she was shot after an altercation. In fact, Dhiren said he would teach her a lesson and shot her from point-blank range.

The police is confident that the statements of the family members and others living in the Shantifarms, the farmhouse at Chhattarpur where Ms Padmesh had been living and Dhiren was working, would help establish whether the murder was premeditated or a result of momentary frenzy under the influence of liquor.

Chamba, May 31
The Himachal unit of the BJP has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against the Congress, demanding a probe into the landing of a helicopter at Bharmour on May 24 to drop a Congress leader. Even the district administration was not aware of the programme of the flight.

Addressing mediapersons here today, Mr Kishori Lal, a former Industries Minister, and election in charge of the BJP for the Bharmour Assembly constituency, charged the Congress government with the misuse of the government helicopter and machinery in the ongoing campaign.

He flayed the Congress for mass transfer of officers in tribal areas with the motive of influencing them in the favour of the Congress.

Mandi, May 31
Fires broke out in pine forests in the district and around Mandi town adding to the summer heat.Chabuan and Dhuan Devi forests near here are in flames for the past two days and the Forest Department has not been able to contain the fire despite adequate budget.

Fires have also broken out mainly in pine forests in Sarkaghat, Jogindernagar and Sundernagar subdivisions. Pine needles are highly inflamable and fire spreads very fast.

The wildlife in the forests is the worst hit.

According to reports from Karsog and Chachiot valleys large areas of pine forests there have also been on fire.

The scarcity of water in the district has also assumed alarming situation and the current summer is being said to be the hottest for the people. Water sources have dried up.

Many in Sarkaghat area have abandoned houses and have shifted to the banks of Beas along with cattle.

Chamba, May 31
Himachal Governor, Vishnu Sadashiv Kokje has underscored the need of preservation of folklore, passed to us from ancestors because expansion and preservation of knowledge continues from generation to generation.

The Governor said that our cultural heritage inspired our people.

The Governor stated this in his keynote address after inaugurating a three-day ‘Sangeet Mahotsav’ organised by the North-Zone Cultural Centre
(NZCC) Patiala in collaboration with the Himachal Pradesh Languages and Culture Department at the Paryant Kala Kendra here last evening.

The Governor said that the folklore was age-old traditions preserved by contributions of our ancestors. It was an inseparable part of our cultural heritage.

The Governor honoured folk-singes Pratap Sharma and Het Ram
Tanwar. He also released a cassette of songs noted ‘Punjabi’ folksinger Ms Harleen Kohli.

In this three-day “Sangeet Mahotsav”, noted artistes of the North-Zone Culture Centre, Patiala, which included five states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir.

Solan, May 31
Taking serious notice of the violent incident in which a liquor vend was demolished on April 23 and subsequent registration of a case under various sections of the IPC against villagers of
Bangora, including women, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Superintendent of Police, Solan.

Directing the SP to file his reply within four weeks, the NHRC has taken serious note of the complaint lodged by a Jagjitnagar-based NGO, Sutra, for registering false cases against women and meting out inhuman treatment to them in the jail.

The NGO pointed out that while one arrested woman was not even given milk to feed her child for two days and a false case registered against her, another handicapped woman was shown to be involved in the demolition of the vend. The NGO had taken up the case with the NHRC on May 5.

Nurpur, May 31
The police today arrested Ashok Kumar and Harbans Lal of Kuliana village in connection with the suicide of Pinky (20), wife of Ashok. A case under Sections 306 and 498-A of the IPC has been registered against her in-laws. Pinky committed suicide on Friday by hanging herself from a tree.

According to the DSP, Mr Suresh Thakur, the police was informed about the incident today, whereas, her in-laws removed the body last evening.

Mr Babu Ram, a resident of Minjgrah village and father of the victim, alleged that his daughter was harassed by the accused to bring more dowry.

Shimla, May 31
The water supply to Shimla will improve marginally from tomorrow following an agreement reached with residents of Snola village for release of water from the Gumma khud.

The agreement was reached following series of talks by the Principal Secretary (Irrigation and Public Health), Mr Harinder Hira, and the Deputy Commissioner, Shimla, Mr S.K.B.S. Negi, with the villagers who finally agreed to release the water from tomorrow. This would enable the Shimla Municipal Corporation to increase the water supply per day from 52 lakh gallons to 56 lakh gallons. The villagers would be compensated for the loss of crops due to inadequate water supply.
PTI

Shimla, May 31
Mr Subashish Panda, District Election Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner, Lahaul-Spiti, said the polling station at Hikkim village at an altitude of 15,500 feet in Spiti division of Lahaul and Spiti district would be highest polling station in the district.

Presiding over an election arrangements meeting at Keylong on Friday, Mr Panda said the second round of the election rehearsal for Lahaul and Spiti had been completed. He said 305 persons would cast their vote at the station on June 8. He said 360 officials had been deployed for election duty to conduct the elections and electric voting machines would be used for the first time in the district.
OC